We have just come back from what has been established as an American tradition: the first family trip to Disney World. Unlike a recent “adult trip” we took, where the main objective was to get our FastPasses for the most intense rides possible, this time we had one “necessary” goal: meet all the Disney Princesses. Princess-mania has been in our house for over a year now, and Disney was as much about Mickey and the rides as it was about Cinderella and crew.

My wife, in-laws and aunt made it a mini-game to become Princess “completists,” getting all the signatures and photos of the faux royalty for Maia’s little book.  Be it top-tier princesses like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty or the more recently crowned like Tiana and Mulan, we were going to make it happen.

Maia had the time of her life, in awe of the in-person appearances of her cartoon heroes and barely able to eat at a Princess breakfast in the castle. She seemed not to notice that the actors changed every time she saw them and had no problem standing in line or searching far and wide to seek out hard-to-find characters like Mulan. While some characters were questionable in live-action form, others looked like Enchanted-style princesses, ripped from their cartoon settings to appear in person at Disney World.

We didn’t have to work as hard as I thought to complete the safari. We left Walt Disney World sweaty, tired but successful in our quest. The autograph tent in Mickey’s Toon Town made some of this easy, as did the breakfast in Cinderella’s castle. The less popular characters took a bit of searching, but we used logic (Pocahontas in the forests of Animal Kingdom, Mulan in Epcot’s China) and all were found on the first try. And, for the most part, the actors did an amazing job capturing the look and feel of the character.

Check out our personal “Princess safari” below and let us know what you think. Does Disney deliver the costumed character goods?

Back in November, I reviewed Disney Interactive’s iPhone/iTouch app Disney Puzzle Slider. Essentially a digital version of a plastic scrambled tile puzzle, this app has remained a hit in our household. The key appeal of this app is the ability to collect points to unlock “hidden” images in categories like Villains, Simply Mickey, Disney Stylized, Cuties, Romance, Animal Friends, and Disney Friends. For my little one, it is all about  unlocking the images in hopes that it will reveal a Disney Princess. But for me, it has been about the realization that this app serves as more than a promotional Disney tool. It also serves as a bit of an artist playground.

Throughout the past months I have unlocked some images that are quite stylistic and experimental for the House of Mouse.  A few you would even assume were  fan interpretations if not for the fact they were on an official Disney-licensed app. Disney has really let their artists have fun with their IP, taking classic characters in unique directions. While I do not have a pulse on every piece of Disney merchandise out there, I have yet to see many of these takes floating around the Disney Store. Below, I have shared just a few of  the more interesting interpretations found on Disney Puzzle Slider.

Mickey Mouse Remixed – Mickey Mouse gets multiple, diverse art treatments including reworkings from Bloc28.

Tween Princesses – Disney Princesses get a makeover with a look that clearly hits the tween market sweetspot.

Disney goes Kawaii- Take a Disney character and give it the Japanese touch, and you have these cutesy concepts that would fit nicely on the shelf next to the latest Sanrio creation.

Mini-Makeovers – Various characters maintain their general look, but are re-framed with modern colors, fonts and shapes.

What are your thoughts? Enjoy seeing Disney have a little fun with their I.P.? Or would you rather see them leave it alone? Comment below!

As I have probably hinted at before, my daughter is quite the Disney Princess fan girl. So, when word came out their next major animated effort was the introduction of a post-modern take on Rapunzel (recently renamed Tangled), she was naturally curious about this classic tale.

So, off to my library I went to take a few books out about this long-haired princess in distress. Not surprisingly, there were many options. And, for both fun and review, we ended up taking out half a dozen. Instant favorites included the quirky, modern-day set Rapunzel: A Groovy Fairy Tale by Lynn and David Roberts and the subtly humorous illustrated execution by Dorothee Duntze. Even the more sophisticated and award winning take by Paul O. Zelinsky and the gothic graphic novel by Stephanie Peters and Jeffrey Stewart Timmins were a surprise hit with this toddler.

However, the book that Maia seemed to gravitate to the most was Rachel Isadora’s Rapunzel. Inspired by the author’s ten years of living in Africa, Isadora takes this traditional fairytale and transplants it to an African village. While the story itself remains mostly the same, Rapunzel is no longer the traditional, fair-skinned/blonde haired princess. In Isadora’s tale she is a stunning African maiden with long, beautifully-decorated dreadlocks. When her prince rides in to chant the traditional “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair” line, he comes not by horse, but by zebra. The happy ending remains in tact and the witch is just as terrifying as seen in other interpretations.

The bright, colorful illustrations in this book are also non-traditional, comprised of collages of textured papers and oil paintings. Rachel Isadora, who has won a Caldecott Honor for her previous children’s book Ben’s Trumpet, has also created African interpretations of fairy tales like The Princess and the Pea, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, The Fisherman and His Wife, and Hansel and Gretel.

So, before Disney’s  traditional, blonde Rapunzel makes it mark on the public conscious as the “Official Rapunzel”, share Rachel Isadora’s striking and unique version with your little ones.

Lately, I find myself surrounded in fairy tales. When we go to the library or select a film, a standard question seems to be “is there a princess in it?” or “is it a fairy tale?” So, with witches, magical kisses, evil stepmoms and happily ever after in mind, here is a list of  my favorite fairy tale-themed iPod/iPhone apps.

Bayou Beats (Walt Disney) – Free

This Disney app is less of an earnest application and more of an “advergame” to promote their Princess & the Frog animated film. However, it is still free and since Maia loves Princess Tiana enough to see the film three times, it was a must-download. Essentially a down-aged Tap Tap Revenge, the game moves to instrumental versions of soundtrack songs. As a toddler used to slower-paced titles, Maia seemed more interested in the quick character clips and music videos. The advergame-style app that came with the film Up seems to serve her interest more, with longer trailer clips and a basic pop-the-balloon game.

Kideos (Big Purple Hippos)– Free

This app was created to accompany the online destination Kideos.com. For those not familiar, Kideos is a kid-friendly video destination with much of the content pulled directly from YouTube and screened by a Video Advisory Council. The content is all easily categorized for navigation (Disney Channel Programs, Muppets, Sesame Street, etc). The app itself follows the same navigation, and even has a Fairy Tales and Disney Movies section where Maia can watch clips of her favorite princesses as well as new takes on classics. Maia’s only disappointment was the low quantity of Princess content compared to that on YouTube.  However, I’ve quickly learned the dangers of exploring kid videos on an all-ages site (fan-made nude Disney Princesses, for example) and can truly appreciate Kideos’ product.

Papa Gatto and Sleeping Beauty (PicPocket Books) – ($2.99,$1.99)

Any apps that leave you feeling “happily ever after”? Comment below!

Realizing the holidays were approaching, our daughter notified us she “only wanted Princess stuff.”  She then added to that, “real princess stuff, Disney Princess.”

I realize I am the parent, I could put my foot down, maybe even sneak in some wooden puzzles. But, in truth, it is not like she asked for a Tiffany bracelet or a Hannah Montana doll. And on the positive side, Maia’s favorite princess is currently Mulan, teaching her some other (slightly Disneyfied) culture than that which exists under the sea and in a castle. Plus, underhanded plans are already in the works to sneak in some non-Disney branded Princess paraphernalia, and as long as it is pink and royal-looking she will be a happy toddler.

So, on my excursions to hunt down various Princess presents, I came across some licensed products that lend themselves quite naturally to the brand (Barbie-style dolls, pajamas, DVD players, pop-up castle tents, even toothpaste). However, I have chanced upon a few that left me with a slight feeling somewhere between bemusement and professional curiosity. I wondered how important it was to stay true to a classic brand, respect the back-stories and remember the magic that originally made these films so successful.

Before I share my list of Perplexing Princess Products, let it be known I am in no means an anti-Disney anarchist. I can’t wait to bring Maia to Disney World, show her all the movies I watched as a kid, and take her to each new one as it comes out. But, it is hard not to poke fun at some of the licensed products coming out of the House of Mouse, whether or not they are ringing up sales at the registers.

Ten Perplexing Princess Products

1. “The Princess and The Frog” Comfy Throw Blanket – Yup, it’s a Princess Snuggie, or Snuggler to be more accurate. The current As-Seen-On-TV product we all love to laugh at is now available at your local toy store with your favorite new princess image on it.

2. My 1st Disney Princess Baby Ariel Doll – With this release, Disney is going “retcon” on us. If I recall, Ariel did not have legs until her later years. I understand this may be categorized as nitpicking, and the target demographic may not be so concerned, but ignoring a classic back-story devalues a much-loved license.

3. Princess Ariel Bride Dress - I am okay with princess dress-up, but a bride’s dress borders on “Toddlers and Tiaras” level creepy. I understand the value of role-play, and Maia loves to pretend her Princess dolls are getting married. But seeing her walk down the “make pretend” aisle in a white dress that “includes a bonus veil to make you feel like you are headed down the aisle with your own Prince Eric” is messing with my head a bit too much.

4. Any Disney Princess Enchanted Nursery Toy - This whole line is based off the concept that Belle, Beauty, Cinderella and their princes all played together as toddlers. Seeing The Beast as a toddler in his outfit did make me chuckle, but the words “brand erosion” come to mind when seeing some of these dolls.

5. Enchanted Nursery Sea Shore Snow White - A build off of the previously mentioned line, this has Snow White “dressed up and ready to go” for a day at the beach. Sunglasses and sparkle bathing suit are included. Again, I go back to the story of Snow White and question whether she had access, deep in the woods, to the latest Ray-Bans and La Blanca products.

6. Snow White Vacuum & 7. Snow White Ironing Board Seat – Speaking of Snow White’s resources, I am sure she would have loved this vacuum and ironing board when cleaning up after those 7 slobs. Unfortunately, the “real” Snow White had to do with her helpful animal friends and some elbow grease. Fortunately, today’s girl has more options, and the little Snow White of tomorrow will have some practice with these Princess-branded toys.

8. Disney Princess: A Christmas of Enchantment – After borrowing this from a friend, I anticipated the Princess crew would help us celebrate the season with some new holiday content. But watching it, all I found was recycled bits of old Disney content with brief intros. We are given a chopped version of the previously-released Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas DVD, an edited short from Fantasia 2000, some above-average 1930′s era cartoon shorts, a Little Mermaid story with no animation and two songs with clips from the Princess films.

9. Disney Princess Plush Rocker – No direct tie-in to any princess is clear here, as we know none of the royal girls were riding flamingo-colored horses. The color pink seems to be the only connection to anything princess.

10. Disney Princess Nursery Doll Set – Sure, girls love playing mommy to little baby dolls. So, why not slap a Princess logo on a doll and sell it as a branded Princess item? Also available to keep your baby comfy: princess branded cribs, swings, beds, feeding sets and more.

Your thoughts? Any Princess products you love? Or think are over-the-top? Feel free to comment!